Power failure responsive locking device for power operators



E. A. CUNNINGHAM, J

POWER FAILURE RESPONSIVE LOCKING DEVICE FOR POWER OPERATORS Filed May 20, 1947 Jan. 2, I951 INVENTOR:

Cunningham, Jr.

Edwin A. BY 6 #4 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 2, 1951 POWER FAILURE RE SPQNSI V-E ISOLCKIN DEVICE FOR BGWER: OPERATORS EdwinA. Cunningham, Jr.,.Baldwih.lVlanr, Pia

assignonby mesne, assignments, to Haganv 60rporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.,. a. corporation of- Pennsylvania Application May 2i);.1947, S eri.al No. 749 255 2' Claims.. (01. 121-40?" This. invention relates to, power. operators em ployed for operating. dampers, valves and the'like.

in which the force developed and utilized for ac.- tuating. the valves, dampers and the like results from pressures acting on power diaphragms rather than on thepistons of apower cylinder,

and. more particularly to devices for locking the power operator in. any position when the source of supply of pressure for the, power diaphragms fails or decreases below a predetermined value.

An object of this invention is to provide a.

'is provided with; a simple and efiicient. looking or braking device which becomes operative automatically upon failure of the. primary pressure to dock the power operator and. prevent the load from moving the power diaphragms.

Other objects of the. invention will, in part; be apparent; and will, in. part, be obvious from the following description taken in conjunction with; the. accompanying drawings: in which:

Figure. 1 is a top plan view of a power operator arranged and constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Fig; 2 is a view in sectionof apower operator taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 1-, Fig. 2also showing the regulator connected to operate a valve or damper in a pipe line; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a part ofthe operator shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said section being taken on a line corresponding to-line II -II of Fig. 1.

Throughout the drawings and the specification, like reference characters indicate like par-ts.

The power operator comprises a controlunit i and a power unit 2 disposed line in line or in tandem, but spaced from each other by means of a housing? to which units! and 2 are rigidly connected. Unit 1 comprises acap or bonnet d spacing rings 5, 6 and-- 1 and a base plate 8, ally of which are rigidly connected together by means of clamping bolts I:B. Unit I includes a plurality of diaphragms ll, l2; l3 and M, which are mounted in spaced. relation on, an assembly bolt I5.that. extends through the central portionsof these diaphragms and spacing and clamping;

members. 1.5;, H; l8. and I9, respectively. The central portions, of the diaphragms in, this as? sembly are clampedfirmly by means of'av nut 28: which is threaded onto the. lower end" of bolt" i5.

Themarginal edgeof diaphragm I I, is. clamped between bonnet. or cap t. and ring 5; The, mar ginal edge of. diaphragm i2 is, clamped between, ring 5 and ring 8. The marginal edge. of diaphragm l3. isclampedbetween. ring 6 andring l; and the, marginal edge. of diaphragm Iii is, clamped betweenring l and the base plate 8..

The head of bolt I5 is formed with a valve. seat 22 that connects. with the atmosphere by means of a drilled. passage. 2.3 formed? in. the

shank of the bolt. extending from, the: seat, a.

plurality of openings 2!; in. spacer It and a. pas sageway- 25 formed in. ring 5.

As may be seen in both Figs. 2; and 3 achains ber 2 is formed by diaphragm i l ands the capor bonnet ligand a chamber 28 isformed. by ring; 5- and diaphragms I12. and i3: Ring 6 isprovided with. a; tappedopening 29.- to which; a pipe line Eiitmay; be connected for delivering; a control fluid, pressure enemas-compressed air: to chamber as.

Asshownin the. drawings.,. the, eiiectiee. areas;- oi; diaphragms !:1E,. t2 and; I4 are; equal and; the;

efiective area. of; diaphragm is; is: greater than.

thatiof: diaphragm. I-2r Pressure is delivered. to chamber; 2-1: from; a. supply: pipe: 3% connected to; a. source of; supply: of fluid pressure, such. as compressed air (not.

shown), of constant pressure through a. valve- 34; Valve" as: comprises a body; 35 which is threaded intoan opening: 36 in bonnet :3 and a valve stem 3-? disposed within the valve body.

Theupper end of thevalve stem carries a valve element 38 disposed to seat on the inlet port seor'to'belifted ofi the-seat to the position shownin Fig. 3 when bolt l-emoves upwardly in re sponse-to a change in pressure conditions-in the operator as will be more fully explained;

The lower end of the valve stem seats inthe valve seat 2-2 when the diaphragm unit I is in neutral'position. If desired, a compression spring tit may be mounted coaxially'of stem 3's and between the lowerend of? valve body 35 arid-a flangeorcollar 41, secured to the valve stem, in order to urgethe valve stem towards the position in which. the. inlet port. is. closed. Pressure from chamber 21. is delivered through an outletport.

42., incap l and a pipe 43, to the interior of house ing 3.."

Unit; 2.. comprises a.housing 44, a; spacing: ring 4.5.and; preformed diaphragms wand. 45!; The

marginal edge of diaphragm 46 is disposed between housing 44 and ring 45, and the marginal edge of diaphragm 41 is disposed between housing 3 and ring 45. The edges of these diaphragms are clamped firmly in position by means of clamping bolts 49 to efiect pressure tight joints.

The middle portions of diaphragms 46 and 41 are maintained in spaced relation to each other by a spacing ring 55, but are clamped rigidly to the spacing ring 55 by means of a cupped bearing plate 51 and a thrust member or post 52, by means of a bolt 53 that extends through the center of the bearing plate the diaphragms, the spacing ring 5H and into the post 52.

Post 52 transmits the operating force of the power unit on the diaphragms. The travel of the post may be multiplied by connecting it to a lever 54 which is pin connected at 55 to the lever. The lever is pivoted on a pin 58 carried by an extension 57 of housing 44. Lever 54 may be connected to a valve damper or to be actuated by the power unit. This lever may be relatively long and provided with a series of clevis pin holes 58 whereby the effective stroke of the lever may be regulated with relation to the object to be moved thereby. Lever 54 is shown connected by a connecting rod 59 to the crank arm 68 of damper 5|.

The space between diaphragms 45 and 4! forms a pressure chamber to which fluid pressure such as compressed air is supplied and maintained at a predetermined constant value. As may be seen in Fig. 2, the effective area of diaphragm 46 is smaller than the effective area of diaphragm 4?, so that the net force developed by the pressure in this chamber will be equal to the applied pressure multiplied by the difference between the effective areas of diaphragms 41 and 45, respectively. This net operating force will always be constant and always acting in the same direction, viz., in the direction of arrow 62.

The pressure may be supplied to the chamber between diaphragms 4i and 46 through a port 85 formed in ring 45 to which a supply pipe 66 is connected. Supply pipe 65 is supplied with operating pressure from a pressure regulating device 51 that functions to maintain the pressure in the chamber between diaphragms 45 and 41 constant at some predetermined value. The pressure supply source connected to regulator 61 and pipe 56 may for purposes of description be regarded as a primary source of supply. If this source of supply pressure should fail or the pressure should fall to or below a predetermined value, the power developed by the diaphragm operator and necessary for actuating a valve or damper might be insufficient. It is therefore desirable that the regulator or damper should be locked in a given position at the moment of failure of the primary pressure supply. In order to lock the regulator in any position in which it may be at the time of failure, a locking device is provided. This locking device comprises a brake or lock plate H secured to the diaphragm housing 44 and provided with a friction element or member 12 on one face thereof. The device includes also a link l3, one end of which is pin connected at 14 to lever 54 and a brake or look applying mechanism 15. The brake or lock applying mechanism comprises a member if; having oppositely inclined surfaces 17 and I8 and locking balls or rollers 19 and 80. The inclined surfaces ll and V8 taper or converge towards the brake or lock pin 13.

If balls or rollers 19 and at were unrestrained, one or the other of them would wedge between the lock element 13, and one or the other of its tapered surfaces TI and 18, causing the brake link 13 to be squeezed firmly against the friction member 12, thereby preventing movement of lever 54 of the operator. So long as the power supply to diaphragms 4B and 41 is normal or above a predetermined minimum value or has not failed, the balls or rollers 19 and 18 should be kept apart or far enough away from the point of intersection of surfaces TI and 18 to prevent locking of the lock element 13 as above described.

In order to keep the balls or rollers 19 and 85 separated under normal conditions, a wedge or spreader element 85 is provided which is actuated in one direction by means of a diaphragm 35 disposed in a housing 8'! to which the pressure supply source is connected by a pipe 88. The diaphragm is urged in the opposite direction by means of a compression spring 90.

So long as the supply pressure is normal or at or above a predetermined minimum value, the diaphragm will exert a force of sufficient magnitude to compress the spring and hold the wedge pin between the locking rollers or balls 19 and 85, but if the pressure fails or falls below the minimum value, the spring will cause the diaphragm to deflect, carrying the pin with it until it has been pulled away from between the balls or rollers l9 and 80. When this occurs and if the brake pin 13 is moving upwardly, roller or ball 89 will be wedged between the inclined surface 18 and the brake pin 13 so that the brake pin will be gripped and locked between the ball and the friction element 12. If the brake pin 13 is moving in the opposite direction, that is, downwardly as seen in Fig. 2, ball 19 will be wedged between the surface Ti and the brake pin 13 causing the latter to be pressed against the friction surface 12 and locking the power unit.

As shown in Fig. 2, balls or rollers 19 and may be urged towards braking position by means of preformed leaf springs 95 and 96.

In order that the brake may be rendered inoperative or released whenever that is desired, housing 8'1 is provided with a hand wheel and a spindle 98 which is threaded into the housing and so positioned that when the hand wheel is turned to advance the spindle towards and into engagement with pin 85, continued advance of the spindle will move the pin to the position in which the locking rollers or balls 19 and 80 are held apart.

The operation of the power unit above described will be apparent from the following. Since the pressures acting on diaphragms H and I4 are equal, and since the effective areas of these diaphragms are equal, the forces exerted by this pressure on these diaphragms will be equal and opposite. It will also be observed that since the effective area of diaphragm I3 is greater than that of diaphragm 12, the net force developed by the pressure delivered to the space,

between them will be equal to that pressure multiplied by the difference between the effective areas of diaphragms l3 and I2.

Also as stated previously, the net force developed by the pressure delivered to the chamber between diaphragms 45 and 41 will be equal to that pressure multiplied by the difierence between the eifective areas of diaphragms 41 and 45. Also, it will be observed that the force developed by the pressure in housing 3 on diaphragm 4! will be equal to the value of that pressure multiplied by the efiective area of diaphragm 41,

phragms l2 and If it be assumed that the pressure in pipe 30 is zero gauge, the pressure in the space between diaphragms l2 and I3 will be zero gauge. Under these conditions, compression spring S will cause the diaphragm assembly of unit I to move upwardly lifting the valve 38 off its inlet and allowing pressure to enter the chamber 2'! and hous ing 3 through pipe 43. The pressure in chamber 21 and in housing 3 will build up until the regulator has moved its full stroke in the direction of arrow FS, unless in the meantime the pressure delivered to the space between dia- I3 is reduced. If the latter has not occurred, the tension in spring S will be relieved sufficiently to cause the valve stem 3.! to move and reseat valve 38 on the inlet seat 39.

If the pressure delivered to the space between diaphragms l2 and I3 is increased to some value intermediate zero gauge and the full maximum pressure, the net force of the pressure actin on diaphragms l2 and is will cause the diaphragms of the diaphragm unit I to move downwardly whereby the exhaust port seat 22 is uncovered and pressure is allowed to escape from chamber 21 and the chamber in housing 3 to the atmosphere. This will reduce the force of the pressure in housing 3 acting on diaphragm 41 With the result that the force exerted by the pressure in the space between diaphragms 46 and 4'! will be preponderant and cause these diaphragms to move in the direction of arrow 62 and build up compression in spring S until the force of compression of this spring balances the net force acting on diaphragms l2 and I3, at which time the valve stem will seat on the exhaust port 22, the inlet port remaining closed.

Under normal operating conditions, the diaphragm operator will operate as above described so long as the source of fluid pressure supply is normal, but if for any reason the primary air supply should fail, then the brake device will function to lock the power operator at any point of it stroke at the time of failure.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the principle of the invention, or the scope or spirit thereof. Therefore, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a pair of diaphragms mounted in spaced relation, means for clampin the marginal edges of said diaphragms to form a pressure chamber between them, one of said diaphragms having a larger effective area than the other, means for supplying a pressure fluid of substantially constant pressure to the space between said diaphragms, a pressure tight housing associated with the diaphragm having the larger effective area, means for supplying an adjustable control pressure to said housing for causing said pair of diaphragms to deflect in response to the diiference between the constant pressure acting on said diaphragms in the space therebetween and the pressure in said housing acting on the diaphragm having the larger effective area, and motion transmitting mechanism connected to said pair of diaphragms, of a locking mechanism comprising a stationary backing member, a movable member secured to the clamping means for said diaphragms connected to said motion transmitting mechanism, wedging means associated with said movable member, and means responsive to the pressure supply for said pair of diaphragms for causing said wedging means to be held in unlocking relation to said movable member when the pressure of the supply source is normal and for releasing the same into locking engagement with said backing member when the pressure of the pressure supply decreases to a predetermined minimum value below normal.

2. A combination according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that the locking mechanism comprises a stationary friction member carried by the clamping means for said pair of diaphragms, a brake link movable along said friction member and being operatively connected to the motion transmitting mechanism, a wedge member having oppositely sloping surfaces convergin towards said brake link, a locking roller disposed between each of said sloping surfaces and said brake link, a plunger, a diaphragm for actuating said plunger to a position in which said rollers are held out of gripping position with said surfaces and said link, a spring opposing said diaphragm and urging said plunger out of engagement with said rollers, and means for connecting the supply pressure to said diaphragm whereby the plunger is held between said rollers so long as the pressure of said supply source is above a predetermined value, said spring urging said plunger out of engagement with said rollers when the pressure decreases to a value below said predetermined value.

EDWIN A. CUNNINGHAM, JR.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the Number Name Date 1,962,459 Ostlund June 12, 1934 2,339,469 Emanuel Jan. 18, 1944 2,432,705 Williams Dec. 16, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 443,871 Great Britain Mar, 5, 1936 

